There was more than one Easter Bunny hopping and rocking to live music and plenty of fun for the whole family at Saturday’s Easter and Earth Day Celebration held at Teague Park. Above kids run to collect candy and try to find the golden eggs to win an Easter Basket.

Big Bunnies rock: Easter, Earth Day celebration a hopping success

March 30, 2016
Santa Paula News

There was more than one Easter Bunny hopping and rocking to live music and plenty of fun for the whole family at Saturday’s Easter and Earth Day Celebration held at Teague Park.

Interim Recreation Director Ed Mount estimated more than 1,000 people attended the event where an Easter Egg Hunt, games and activities geared towards recycling entertained and educated young and old.

Ruben Zaragoza of Recology, which co-sponsored the event with the City of Santa Paula, welcomed the crowd noting it was important to also recognize Earth Day.

“Recology’s mission is to reduce, reuse and recycle,” and its goal is Zero Waste.

The event said Zaragoza was also the kick off for the company’s Junior Recologists recycling program for youth.

Hundreds of kids were at the ready with their Easter baskets while Vice Mayor Jenny Crosswhite — Councilman John Procter also attended — offered a bilingual welcome.

Mayor Martin Hernandez kicked off the Easter Egg Hunt but not before thanking parents “For spending time with your children...”

The hunt didn’t go as planned with times for various age groups: once the children heard a countdown they were all off but the egg hunters were orderly and each received candy for their efforts.

Cathy Hicks said members of the Kiwanis Club were teaching children how to grow marigolds, a pastime that could lead to growing vegetables as well as the flowers.

Marigolds, she noted, are perfect, especially as “The seeds will probably be all over town by the time they get home! I know someone that once just threw some seeds on the ground,” and later had a blanket of flowers. 

“The kids won’t be disappointed,” at what they created using the seeds said Hicks.

Juano & Friends kept the party going with lively music, the perfect background for the sack races, jumper, games and activities, many with an environmental and recycling theme.

“I think Recology is definitely committed to our community and Zero Waste,” said Interim Public Works Director Brian Yanez of the city’s contracted waste hauler who had one of their new trucks on display.

“This celebration alone,” he added, “is definitely a sign of their commitment…”

SPPD K-9 Officer Daniel Gosselin and his partner Django were posing for photos with the children, some shy around the great black dog and others moving right in for some serious petting.

Gosselin said of the SPPD’s newest crime-fighting dog, just past puppyhood at about 18 months, “He loves the kids!” and will be a great ambassador as well as a dedicated K-9 cop.

Santa Paula Fire Captain John Harber was outside the Fillmore Fire House noting that those going inside were experiencing “a condensed version of what we do at the schools,” teaching children how to escape a fire as well as safety tips. 

He estimated that more than 100 children would probably visit the firehouse Saturday.

Captain Jerry Byrum said so far he had enjoyed watching the Egg Hunt: “It was fun watching those kids…it was like a bee swarm!”

There were plenty of photo opportunities with kids posing in the Recology truck, the SPPD SUV, and the fire engine on display, and plenty of first responders — as well as the Easter Bunny — to pose with. 

“We’re very excited to partner with the city,” said Zaragoza of the event, and “It’s  wonderful for us to kick off our Junior Recologists Program and teach kids to practice the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle…” 

“We’re very happy with the celebration,” said Mount, taking a break from dropping miniature candy bars into children’s baskets. “Recreation Supervisor Beverly Ruiz did a really good job putting this all together and we thank Recology,” for their sponsorship that allowed the city to restage the event, not held since 2010.

Lillie Tamayo, 6 of Santa Paula, wasn’t aware of any of the details of staging the event, but she said her favorite part was meeting the Easter Bunny, “right here near where I live…he usually comes when we’re asleep,” so meeting the giant rabbit was a thrill.





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